Satyrische Europa Karte Weltkrieg 1914

Rare German satirical map published just after the outbreak of the First World War. The nations of Europe are humorously caricatured through crude stereotypes and allegories. The printed text below the map explains the situation for a German readership.

In the east, Russia is represented as a flea-infested cossack being sprayed with insect spray by a Russian bear. His uniform is damaged near the elbow, a reference to Russian losses in Prussia in the early months of the war. The bear is holding out an empty wallet and shouting the word "hunger", suggesting that the Russian army is pathetically underfed and underfunded compared to the Germans and Austrians. Below the Russian soldier is a bottle of vodka, a cossack whip, and a chamber pot into which the Russian vulgarly 'deposits' his victories.

Austria-Hungary and Germany are both represented as valiant soldiers firing their weapons towards the mad Russian. Germany with his right arm crushes a helpless Belgium in order to stab France in the back of the neck. Meanwhile, Austria claws at Serbia and squashes Montenegro with his right foot. His left foot kicks out at Russia. In the Balkans, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria watch the situation closely, though only Romania appears ready for battle. Turkey, a bearded man smoking a pipe, looks across at Europe with alarm.

Norway and Sweden are shown as neutral powers, arms linked protected behind a shield of Swedish steel. A matchbox, one of Sweden's leading industries, is displayed on the shield. Denmark, also neutral, sits below selling butter to Germany. Finland, chained to Russia, is attempting to break free by cutting the chain. The Netherlands manages to sleep through the whole affair.

France is represented by a typically Gallic soldier looking to Britain for aid. His uniform is torn and he is shoeless. On his back, providing no protection at all from the German dagger, is the Franco-Russian defense treaty which is satirised as "Russian coupons". Curled around his leg is a snake which emerges from Marseille to shout the word 'victory', an allusion to the untrustworthy snake in the Garden of Eden.

Italy, a soldier hobbled by having both of his legs in one boot, remains neutral, though ready to strike. In 1914 Germany still expected Italy to join on the side of the Central Powers. As such, Italy is still represented in a positive light, rather than as the figure of Judas which often appears after 1915.

Britain appears to be turning its back on Europe despite French pleas for aid. Under one arm is a bulldog and the other arm is grasping Ireland. He is being hit in the behind by a large German shell, and like his French counterpart is also entangled by a snake shouting 'victory'.

Spain and Portugal, both neutral powers, seem generally unaffected by the melee, though Portugal does look slightly alarmed. A lone Japanese soldier sits in a rowing boat in the Atlantic, suggesting that Japan's contribution to the Triple Entente was not even worth thinking about for the Central Powers.

A wonderful and uncommon piece of German propaganda published before the true horrors of WWI became evident.

[EUR1437]